Spanish Conversation · Level 39
74 words
Spanish word
cáncer
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈkanθeɾ/
Meaning
- masculine nouncancer
Example
Mi madre tiene cáncer.
My mother has cancer.
More examples
El cáncer puede detectarse antes con revisiones regulares.
Cancer can be detected earlier with regular check-ups.
Core concept
Malignant growth of abnormally dividing cells that invades nearby tissue and can spread to other organs.
Common phrases
tener cáncer
have cancer
diagnosticar cáncer
diagnose cancer
cáncer de mama
breast cancer
Similar words
tumor: Lump or mass in body tissues formed by cell growth, possibly benign or malignant.
bulto: Small lump or bump under the skin or on the body's surface that can be felt.
enfermedad: Any disease or disorder affecting the body or mind, causing dysfunction or symptoms.
metástasis: Spread of cancer cells from the original site to other parts of the body, forming new tumors.
Definition in Spanish
Enfermedad en la que células se multiplican de forma anormal y descontrolada, formando tumores malignos que pueden invadir tejidos y producir metástasis.
Word origin
The Spanish word comes from Latin cancer 'crab', because ancient physicians compared the hooked, spreading shape of some tumors to a crab.
Usage tips
- Cáncer is a sensitive topic in conversation, so speakers often prefer softer or more formal phrasing such as 'padece cáncer' or 'le han diagnosticado cáncer' instead of the blunt 'tiene cáncer'.